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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Ride alongside some of the world’s top professional cyclists on the opening night of OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014 at The Parade of Hope.
The Parade of Hope is a leisurely 20-minute ride around the F1 Pit Building designed to raise funds and awareness for the event’s four official charities:

Dover Park Hospice,

Singapore Children’s Society,

SingHealth Transplant TRUEfund, and

the SportCares Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Singapore Sports Council.

A selection of the world’s elite cyclists taking part in the Professional Criterium will lead out the group, alongside Team Singapore cyclists Ho Jun Rong, Benedict Lee, Noel Teh and Travis Woodford, as well as sprinter Gary Yeo.
Limited slots have now been opened to the public, with each individual entry fee of $10 donated directly to the four charities. Registration for The Parade of Hope ends on Wed 26 March 2014 or when the ride category reaches maximum capacity.
Register here.

In the run up to the OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014, an OCBC Cycle Singapore Pop-Up Store and Wheels of Time bicycle exhibition has been set up at the OCBC Centre. Eight iconic bicycles reflect on the evolution of cycling and culture across time at the OCBC Centre Main Branch, 65 Chulia Street, Singapore 049513. Visit from Mondays to Fridays: 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Thanks to Julian Lim, OCBC for the photos.
At the "Pop-up store" over the next 2 weeks:
17 to 21 March: The Urban Chic YikeBike by evHUB.

"The radically designed YikeBike aims to be an alternative urban transport solution. The handlebars are positioned behind the rider, below the seat. Some users enjoy its openness and great visbility; others cannot get used to the absence of a handlebar in front of them. Find out how you fare on this modern version of the Penny-farthing. OCBC Card-members get up to 15% off for YikeBike and other accessories.
YikeBike photo contest – upload your photo to Instagram or Facebook with hashtag #OCBCCards – and stand a chance to win an mPowerPad Plus 2 (worth $169)! Remember to make your profile and post public. You can’t be in the running if we can’t find you!"

24 to 28 March: Cycling Gets Serious by Integrated Riding

"Integrated Riding will bring in elite, high-performance brands like Boardman Bikes, along with a range of accessories to help you clock a personal best at OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014. For bicycles and other accessories, OCBC Cardmembers get 10% off.
If you are a OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014 participant, flash your Confirmation Email and get a free Electron Milli USB Bike Light worth $36. Limited to first 50 participants."

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Kevin Lam Koi Yau wrote to The Straits Times Forum page (17 Mar 2014) to say,

Make Clementi the next cycling town

It is a good idea to promote intra-town cycling in selected Housing Board towns. But I am disappointed that Clementi has not been selected among the latest batch of cycling towns.

With its close proximity to the Ulu Pandan park connector - which links with the Jurong park connector, Bukit Batok Nature Park, International Business Park, Dover MRT and Boon Lay MRT - and schools such as the National University of Singapore, Singapore Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Clementi could benefit greatly from a well-thought-out cycling infrastructure, which could ease public transport woes during peak hours as well as get our young people to adopt an active lifestyle.

An avid cyclist once told me not to commute to NUS for work, though I live in Clementi, as there are no safe routes.

I urge the Land Transport Authority to consider investing in cycling infrastructure in Clementi to boost safety for cyclists and get more people to take up cycling.

Kevin reminded me I am that cyclist who told him not to cycle to NUS. And my advice still holds. There is a great improvement in connectivity in the area compared to the eighties, carved out mostly by NParks' Park Connector Network and enhance by the Rail Corridor which we all hope is here to stay.

While there is a decent connectivity, that last leg can kill you! Approaching NUS via Clementi Road or South Buona Vista is harzadous. This is not recommended for a daily commute.

NUS' U Town has now opened up a pavement route alongside Clementi Road if you are using the Ulu Pandan Park Connector. It is not a fast route, but a relatively safe one. But this will not encourage commuting in an area filled with potential cycling commuters, parking and shower facilities. I have shared these ideas with URA through the National Cycling Plan dialogue but I do think this area is a tough one to begin a cycling infrastructure enhancement project. Not a low hanging fruit.

Still, the Clementi - NUS - Holland Village area needs a makeover. The problems in this area exceed cycling infrastructure for sure. Still, one relief to the daily congestion would be by facilitating cycling.

Will the National Cycling Plan come to town, and in my lifetime, please?

Off-road intra-town cycling paths will allow residents to cycle safely from their homes to major transport hubs and key amenities such as food centres, schools, supermarkets and community centres within the town.

Another 90 km of cycling paths will be added to more towns by 2020. The aim is to provide all 26 HDB towns across Singapore with comprehensive intra-town cycling networks for residents to cycle to and from MRT stations and neighbourhood centres.